Tropical Mandarin

BevNET Review

Last Updated: 6/20/2011 4:43 PM

Of the initial Body Armor flavors, Tropical Mandarin is the closest to being a traditional sports drink flavor. However, there’s a lot more going on in this product than your typical sports drink, with 10 percent coconut water, amino acids, vitamins, electrolytes, fiber, EGCG, catechins, polyphenols, and other “enhancing” ingredients (hence they’ve gone with the tagline of “Super Drink"). From a flavor perspective, the sugar sweetened mixture is very pleasing to the palate, with a sweet body and notes of tart and tangy fruit flavor (we primarily taste orange and mango). The coconut water is there, but only in the drink’s finish, which should be fine for most drinkers. At 60 calories and 15 grams of sugar per 8 oz., Body Armor is on par with a standard sports drink. Functionally, the drink tries to do a lot, with functional ingredients grouped (on the side of the label) into blends for protection, recovery, vitamins, and hydration. While we can’t comment on the performance of the blend, all of these ingredients make sense for what is ultimately a fitness drink. Finally, there is the packaging, which is a proprietary 16 oz. PET bottle that has been fully wrapped. Aside from having solid visual execution, the label feels very much like a fitness or sports drink – and a very credible one at that. Plus, the use of fruit images and colorful backdrop definitely helps whet the appetite. Overall, this is a very good tasting and looking product that straddles the line between sports, fitness, and coconut water beverages.